Rhys Ifans was announced as playing the villain in director Marc Webb's "Spider-Man" just two days ago, with the identity of his character unknown at the time. But this is the internet, people — news travels fast.

According to The Wrap, Ifans will slither his way into the scales of The Lizard, the friendly neighborhood wallcrawler's science teacher turned reptilian nemesis. In signing on as Dr. Curt Connors, Ifans joins a growing cast that includes Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker and Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy.

In the comic books, Curt Connors is an amputee who lost his arm in war. After experimenting with reptilian DNA, he's able to create a formula that can regrow his missing limb. But there's an unintended side effect -- the formula turns Connors into The Lizard, a monstrous reptilian creature with a considerably more savage personality than Connors.

As a science professor, Connors fits in quite well with the reports that this next "Spider-Man" film takes place in either late high school or early college. Keep it locked into Splash Page for more casting announcements on the "Spider-Man" front.

Tell us what you think of Ifans' casting as The Lizard in the comments section and on Twitter!